©© 2008 American College of Clinical Pharmacology, Inc.
The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 10.1177/0091270008322909
Clinical Pharmacokinetics of XP13512, a Novel Transported Prodrug of Gabapentin
Kenneth C. Cundy 1*,
Srikonda Sastry 1,
Wendy Luo 1,
Joan Zou 1,
Tristen L. Moors 1,
and
Daniel M. Canafax 1
1 Xenoport, Inc
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: kcundy{at}xenoport.com.
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Abstract |
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Gabapentin absorption occurs in only a limited region of the small intestine and saturates at doses used clinically, resulting in dose-dependent pharmacokinetics, high inter-patient variability, and potentially ineffective drug exposure. XP13512/GSK1838262 is a novel transported prodrug of gabapentin that is absorbed throughout the entire length of the intestine by high-capacity nutrient transporters. In 4 studies of healthy volunteers (136 subjects total), the pharmacokinetics of XP13512 immediate- and extended-release formulations were compared with those of oral gabapentin. XP13512 immediate-release (up to 2800 mg single dose and 2100 mg twice daily) was well absorbed (>68%, based on urinary recovery of gabapentin), converted rapidly to gabapentin, and provided dose-proportional exposure, whereas absorption of oral gabapentin declined with increasing doses to <27% at 1200 mg. Compared with 600 mg gabapentin, an equimolar XP13512 extended-release dose provided extended gabapentin exposure (time to maximum concentration, 8.4 vs 2.7 hours) and superior bioavailability (74.5% vs 36.6%). XP13512 may therefore provide more predictable gabapentin exposure and decreased dosing frequency.